Event Notification Report for October 12, 2016
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
EVENT REPORTS FOR
10/11/2016 - 10/12/2016
Power Reactor
Event Number: 52295
Facility: BYRON
Region: 3 State: IL
Unit: [] [2] []
RX Type: [1] W-4-LP,[2] W-4-LP
NRC Notified By: JIM LYNDE
HQ OPS Officer: HOWIE CROUCH
Region: 3 State: IL
Unit: [] [2] []
RX Type: [1] W-4-LP,[2] W-4-LP
NRC Notified By: JIM LYNDE
HQ OPS Officer: HOWIE CROUCH
Notification Date: 10/12/2016
Notification Time: 15:17 [ET]
Event Date: 10/12/2016
Event Time: 13:38 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 10/12/2016
Notification Time: 15:17 [ET]
Event Date: 10/12/2016
Event Time: 13:38 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 10/12/2016
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) - RPS ACTUATION - CRITICAL 50.72(b)(3)(iv)(A) - VALID SPECIF SYS ACTUATION
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) - RPS ACTUATION - CRITICAL 50.72(b)(3)(iv)(A) - VALID SPECIF SYS ACTUATION
Person (Organization):
RICHARD SKOKOWSKI (R3DO)
RICHARD SKOKOWSKI (R3DO)
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX Crit | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | M/R | Y | 90 | Power Operation | 0 | Hot Standby |
MANUAL REACTOR TRIP DUE TO SPURIOUS FEEDWATER ISOLATION
"At 1338 CDT, a spurious electrical fault on a unit substation motor control center caused a spurious feedwater isolation and required a manual reactor trip on Unit 2 Byron Station due to lowering steam generator level. Auxiliary feedwater automatically actuated to supply feedwater flow and is maintaining steam generator level within procedurally required levels."
The motor control center fault resulted in feedwater isolations on two of four steam generators. All rods inserted during the trip. Decay heat is being removed via the steam dumps to condenser. Plant response to the trip was uncomplicated. Unit 2 is in a normal shutdown electrical lineup with power available from offsite. The grid is stable. Byron Station Unit 1 is at 95% power and stable and was unaffected by the transient on Unit 2. The cause of the motor control center fault is under investigation.
The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector and will be issuing a press release concerning the manual reactor trip.
"At 1338 CDT, a spurious electrical fault on a unit substation motor control center caused a spurious feedwater isolation and required a manual reactor trip on Unit 2 Byron Station due to lowering steam generator level. Auxiliary feedwater automatically actuated to supply feedwater flow and is maintaining steam generator level within procedurally required levels."
The motor control center fault resulted in feedwater isolations on two of four steam generators. All rods inserted during the trip. Decay heat is being removed via the steam dumps to condenser. Plant response to the trip was uncomplicated. Unit 2 is in a normal shutdown electrical lineup with power available from offsite. The grid is stable. Byron Station Unit 1 is at 95% power and stable and was unaffected by the transient on Unit 2. The cause of the motor control center fault is under investigation.
The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector and will be issuing a press release concerning the manual reactor trip.
Agreement State
Event Number: 52360
Rep Org: GEORGIA RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL PGM
Licensee: THERAGENICS CORPORATION
Region: 1
City: BUFORD State: GA
County:
License #: UNKNOWN
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: MONICA JOHNSON
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN SHOEMAKER
Licensee: THERAGENICS CORPORATION
Region: 1
City: BUFORD State: GA
County:
License #: UNKNOWN
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: MONICA JOHNSON
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN SHOEMAKER
Notification Date: 11/10/2016
Notification Time: 10:33 [ET]
Event Date: 10/12/2016
Event Time: 00:00 [EST]
Last Update Date: 11/10/2016
Notification Time: 10:33 [ET]
Event Date: 10/12/2016
Event Time: 00:00 [EST]
Last Update Date: 11/10/2016
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
10 CFR Section:
Person (Organization):
RAY MCKINLEY (R1DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFIC (EMAI)
ANGELA MCINTOSH (INES)
RAY MCKINLEY (R1DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFIC (EMAI)
ANGELA MCINTOSH (INES)
AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - POTENTIAL OVEREXPOSURE
The following information was excerpted from a report received from the State of Georgia via email:
"On Wednesday, November 9th, it was reported to the Department [Georgia Radioactive Materials Program] by Theragenics Corporation in Buford, GA that an employee's dosimetry report indicated that she had exceeded the annual whole body dose limit of 5000 mRem. An investigation has been conducted by the employer and no possible explanation has been found as of yet. Our office has an ongoing investigation and further details will be provided as we receive them.
"[The licensee reports receiving] notification from their dosimetry processor, on October 12, an individual received a whole body dose of 5,215 mRem. [The licensee] spent the last month trying to recreate a situation that could have exposed this worker to a dose of this magnitude and can't make it happen. According to discussions, with the worker, she never left her dosimetry in a lab where it could have been exposed to an unshielded source of radiation. According to her supervisor, team leads in the lab in which she worked, and HP [Health Physics], she is a very good radiation worker and, there is never anything out of the normal at her work station.
"[The worker] did take her whole body dosimeter and both finger rings home with her one evening. Even more baffling is her ring dose is less than 200 mRem. [The licensee has] tried to recreate that scenario of taking the dosimeters home as well and have not had a dosimeter come back from processing that is above its minimal level of detection.
"It is [licensee's] interpretation of [the CFR,] Reportable Events, that this report of an overexposure is due to [the State of Georgia] 30 days after notification, or Friday, 11/11/16. [The licensee is] waiting on additional information [from the dosimetry processor] prior to report submittal."
The following information was excerpted from a report received from the State of Georgia via email:
"On Wednesday, November 9th, it was reported to the Department [Georgia Radioactive Materials Program] by Theragenics Corporation in Buford, GA that an employee's dosimetry report indicated that she had exceeded the annual whole body dose limit of 5000 mRem. An investigation has been conducted by the employer and no possible explanation has been found as of yet. Our office has an ongoing investigation and further details will be provided as we receive them.
"[The licensee reports receiving] notification from their dosimetry processor, on October 12, an individual received a whole body dose of 5,215 mRem. [The licensee] spent the last month trying to recreate a situation that could have exposed this worker to a dose of this magnitude and can't make it happen. According to discussions, with the worker, she never left her dosimetry in a lab where it could have been exposed to an unshielded source of radiation. According to her supervisor, team leads in the lab in which she worked, and HP [Health Physics], she is a very good radiation worker and, there is never anything out of the normal at her work station.
"[The worker] did take her whole body dosimeter and both finger rings home with her one evening. Even more baffling is her ring dose is less than 200 mRem. [The licensee has] tried to recreate that scenario of taking the dosimeters home as well and have not had a dosimeter come back from processing that is above its minimal level of detection.
"It is [licensee's] interpretation of [the CFR,] Reportable Events, that this report of an overexposure is due to [the State of Georgia] 30 days after notification, or Friday, 11/11/16. [The licensee is] waiting on additional information [from the dosimetry processor] prior to report submittal."
Non-Agreement State
Event Number: 52387
Rep Org: US ARMY
Licensee: US ARMY
Region: 1
City: ALBANY State: GA
County:
License #: 21-32838-01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: KAREN McGUIRE
HQ OPS Officer: MARK ABRAMOVITZ
Licensee: US ARMY
Region: 1
City: ALBANY State: GA
County:
License #: 21-32838-01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: KAREN McGUIRE
HQ OPS Officer: MARK ABRAMOVITZ
Notification Date: 11/21/2016
Notification Time: 13:38 [ET]
Event Date: 10/12/2016
Event Time: 14:24 [EST]
Last Update Date: 11/21/2016
Notification Time: 13:38 [ET]
Event Date: 10/12/2016
Event Time: 14:24 [EST]
Last Update Date: 11/21/2016
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
20.2201(a)(1)(i) - LOST/STOLEN LNM>1000X
10 CFR Section:
20.2201(a)(1)(i) - LOST/STOLEN LNM>1000X
Person (Organization):
JAMES DWYER (R1DO)
AARON McCRAW (R3DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICA (EMAI)
JAMES DWYER (R1DO)
AARON McCRAW (R3DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICA (EMAI)
LOST SHIPMENT OF MATERIAL CONTAINING TRITIUM
"USMC shipped the package [containing 45.06 Ci of tritium] via [common carrier] out of Hawthorne Army Depot, Hawthorne, NV on October 6, 2016 to MARCORLOGBASE, Director Fleet Support Dir Code 587, Radford Blvd, Suite 20320, Albany, GA. The package was signed for with initials and a signature showing delivery on October 12, 2016 at 1424 [EDT]. There were several attempts of delivery before the package was delivered. The initials of who signed for the shipment cannot be traced to anyone and the signature is unreadable. [The common carrier] indicates delivery to the address of a receptionist. The package had UN2911 markings on opposite sides of the package.
"USMC RADCON conducted a physical search of USMC Albany locations to include the Post Office with no results. Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Albany was contacted and DLA performed a physical search with no results. Also, another shipment from Hawthorne was sent out to a different location, which was received. This location was checked for receipt of the concerned package. On November 2, 2016, an Albany All Hands/Base wide official message was sent out regarding the package.
"The conclusion at this time is that the package is considered missing and likely somewhere at MCLB, Albany. The US Navy indicates that physical searches and base wide notifications continue in the effort to locate the package."
THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "LESS THAN CAT 3" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
Sources that are "Less than IAEA Category 3 sources," are either sources that are very unlikely to cause permanent injury to individuals or contain a very small amount of radioactive material that would not cause any permanent injury. Some of these sources, such as moisture density gauges or thickness gauges that are Category 4, the amount of unshielded radioactive material, if not safely managed or securely protected, could possibly - although it is unlikely - temporarily injure someone who handled it or were otherwise in contact with it, or who were close to it for a period of many weeks. For additional information go to http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf
"USMC shipped the package [containing 45.06 Ci of tritium] via [common carrier] out of Hawthorne Army Depot, Hawthorne, NV on October 6, 2016 to MARCORLOGBASE, Director Fleet Support Dir Code 587, Radford Blvd, Suite 20320, Albany, GA. The package was signed for with initials and a signature showing delivery on October 12, 2016 at 1424 [EDT]. There were several attempts of delivery before the package was delivered. The initials of who signed for the shipment cannot be traced to anyone and the signature is unreadable. [The common carrier] indicates delivery to the address of a receptionist. The package had UN2911 markings on opposite sides of the package.
"USMC RADCON conducted a physical search of USMC Albany locations to include the Post Office with no results. Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Albany was contacted and DLA performed a physical search with no results. Also, another shipment from Hawthorne was sent out to a different location, which was received. This location was checked for receipt of the concerned package. On November 2, 2016, an Albany All Hands/Base wide official message was sent out regarding the package.
"The conclusion at this time is that the package is considered missing and likely somewhere at MCLB, Albany. The US Navy indicates that physical searches and base wide notifications continue in the effort to locate the package."
THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "LESS THAN CAT 3" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
Sources that are "Less than IAEA Category 3 sources," are either sources that are very unlikely to cause permanent injury to individuals or contain a very small amount of radioactive material that would not cause any permanent injury. Some of these sources, such as moisture density gauges or thickness gauges that are Category 4, the amount of unshielded radioactive material, if not safely managed or securely protected, could possibly - although it is unlikely - temporarily injure someone who handled it or were otherwise in contact with it, or who were close to it for a period of many weeks. For additional information go to http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf